An ‘alignment free’ pump

It is imperative that pumping systems are designed and operated in a way that reduces the amount of harmful stress placed on components. One area that has been difficult to achieve and maintain is shaft alignment. Failure to properly align a pump’s mating shafts will eventually lead to challenges associated with shaft fatigue and failure, resulting in compromised pumping-system uptime, reliability and safety. This can then result in costly maintenance or even knock the pump out of service and halt production.

Focused on this problem, Blackmer developed GNX Series sliding vane pumps, which are called by the manufacturer “industry’s first alignment-free”. It is a reduced-speed pump for use in both portable and stationary applications.

The design of the GNX Series pump eliminates the couplings between the gearbox and the pump and motor by rigidly connecting them in alignment with a C-face (or similar) motor on both the high-speed and low-speed sides of the pump. The result is a pump that will not need to be realigned either at initial installation or following a maintenance procedure. This results in an improved peace of mind for the operator.

GNX Series pumps are also a solution for chemical-transfer applications, providing high suction lift and line-stripping capabilities. The pumps’ robust, commercial-grade gear reducer is capable of producing low ratios, resulting in precise flow rates. Furthermore, GNX Series pumps have been manufactured with a larger operating range than competitive designs, offering higher flows and higher pressure.